Patcay.com – Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, has seen a decline in the number of new subscribers. This is thought to be due to the presence of a new Chinese competitor, Starnet.
Starnet is a satellite internet service owned by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). It was launched in September 2023, and offers internet speeds of up to 100 Mbps.
Starnet offers lower prices than Starlink. Starnet’s subscription price starts at 599 yuan (US$1.2 million) per month, while Starlink’s subscription price starts at US$99 (US$1.4 million) per month.
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Starnet also offers greater coverage than Starlink. Starnet currently has more than 200 satellites in orbit, while Starlink has around 2,000 satellites in orbit.
The decline in the number of new Starlink customers is evident from SpaceX’s financial report. In the third quarter of 2023, SpaceX recorded revenue of $1.2 billion from Starlink. This was down 10% compared to the previous quarter.
SpaceX has not yet commented on the decline in the number of new Starlink customers. However, the company is expected to make various efforts to compete with Starnet.
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One of the efforts SpaceX could make is to lower the price of Starlink subscriptions. SpaceX could also increase the number of satellites in orbit to increase Starlink’s coverage.
Competitors from China are indeed a challenge for Starlink. However, SpaceX still has the advantage in terms of technology and experience. SpaceX also has a larger satellite network than Starnet.
However, if SpaceX does not take immediate steps to compete with Starnet, then Starlink could lose its position as the market leader in satellite internet services.